Aljažev dom v Vratih - Spodnji Stenar (via Sovatna)

Access to starting point:
We drive to Mojstrana, then follow the signs for Vrata Valley. We continue along the toll road, which is closed to public traffic in winter, to the large parking lot located a few minutes before Aljažev dom v Vratih.

Path description:
From the large parking lot in Vrata Valley, we continue along the gravel road, reaching Aljažev dom v Vratih in a few minutes of walking.
From the hut, we continue straight towards Triglav, Stenar and Kriški podi (right Škrlatica) and proceed along the wide tourist path. The path ahead barely ascends through the forest belt, where we bypass the winter bivouac on the right side, then the forest thins out and after a few more minutes of walking we reach the large memorial (monument dedicated to fallen partisan mountaineers). From the monument, we continue straight (left Tominškova pot) along the path that gradually returns to the forest and brings us somewhat higher to a marked junction, where we continue right towards Pogačnikov dom (straight Triglav and Luknja). From the junction onwards, the path begins to ascend more steeply through the beech forest (the area is called Bukovlje), which brings us just above 1300 m a.s.l. to a pleasant spring that dries up in dry periods. A few more minutes of walking through the forest or higher shrubbery follow, and the path brings us out of the forest at the foot of Sovatna, where a quite overgrown path from bivak pod Luknjo joins us.
From here on, the path becomes steeper and more scenic. The path, from which we have beautiful views of the Triglav north face, brings us higher to a short slightly exposed passage where extra caution is needed especially when wet. The path ahead levels out slightly but continues to ascend relatively steeply. An ascent through scree follows, then the valley narrows and the path brings us to a short rocky step over which we ascend with the aid of reliable fixed protection.
Above the step, the slope levels out, and the path leads us across a series of small valleys where we often spot a herd of chamois. Higher up, the path crosses to the left side of the valley, then ascends transversely across a wide and on a short section slightly exposed ledge. From there, a few dozen more steps follow, and the path brings us to a marked junction at Dovških vratih.
From here, we continue right towards Stenar and Križ (left Bovški Gamsovec and Pogačnikov dom) and continue the ascent along an initially gentle then increasingly steep path, quickly reaching the junction below Stenarskimi vratci.
Again, we continue right (left Križ) along an increasingly scenic path to which an unmarked path over Stenarska vratca joins just a few steps higher. Continuing, we cross a scree slope and with beautiful views of Triglav, Bovški Gamsovec, Pihavec and Trenta Valley walk to the steep slopes of Stenar. From here on, the path ascends steeply through nicely sculpted rock, then turns sharply left where after a few dozen meters it suddenly levels out. Here or already more than 10 m before, an unmarked approach to Spodnji Stenar branches off to the right.
At the place where the marked path turns sharply left, we will notice a cairn a few meters off the path marking the start of the "path" to Spodnji Stenar. We continue past the cairn, behind which we soon reach a larger chasm. We bypass the chasm on the right side and in a few minutes of moderate ascent on pathless terrain step onto the indistinct summit of Spodnji Stenar.
Starting point - Aljažev dom 0:05, Aljažev dom - spring in Bukovlje 1:25, spring in Bukovlje - Dovška vrata 2:30, Dovška vrata - Stenarska vratca 0:20, Stenarska vratca - Spodnji Stenar 0:40.

On the way: Aljažev dom v Vratih (1001m), Spomenik padlim partizanom gornikom (1020m), V Plazičih (1040m), Izvir v Bukovlju (1317m), Bukovlje (1418m), Dovška vrata (2176m), Stenarska vratca (2288m)